R. Vaughan Williams, Concert for Oboe. Albrecht Mayer, Oboe 1

[@anishrajpandit]

This is actually my favorite recording, the varying wind shapes and intensity. The tragedy and anguish expressed in the high register. The timing. It’s everything.

[@davidryle1164]

I was a music student in Newcastle UK in 1982. One evening I had the pleasure to hear Heinz Holliger and the Camerata Bern perform this Concerto. I was stunned by this man's talent, completely in awe of his musicianship and fantastic technique, he brought this work to life, it was and has remained for me indelibly imprinted in my memory. There is no doubting Mayer's virtuosity, he plays with such depth of feeling and a technique the equal of Holliger's, but as others have pointed out Holliger laid the groundwork and all of us who love the oboe, dare I say it, even Mayer, are indebted to him as a result.

[@Alcatelg-kc9pf]

David Ryle

[@shin-i-chikozima]

This nostalgy is an order of magnitude more awesome From A corner of Tokyo with cherry blossoms falling

[@harolcemert]

Music the intl.language! BRAVO Albrecht!!!

[@omswastyastu1]

wonderfull! super musician!!!!!

[@trekboi2003]

Anyone who enjoyed this should most certainly listen to the recording Jonathan Small and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra made. Spotify - search for "Malcolm Stewart" - the Concerto is included on an album with the 5th Symphony. LISTEN!!

[@cookie2000ify]

This is a terrific CD. I believe that Albrecht Mayer is presently the best oboeist in the world. He makes Holliger sound like an amateur. The Vaughan-Williams is magnificently done.

[@YouneCole]

Wonderful~

[@snufkin789]

wohingegen die Oboe bei einem vervollkommneten Klang zuweilen schon mit einem Ton zu Tränen rühren kann. Darin liegt die Magie und die Herausforderung des Instrumentes. Arglose Naturen greifen zur Oboe und können ihr nichts weiter entlocken als Gequake, Geschnarre und Geschnatter. Eine wichtige Fähigkeit der Oboe, doch den Raum nach oben, den man mit einem guten Rohr, beherrschter Atmung und vor allem einer eigenen Vision zu betreten fähig ist, macht kein anderer einem Oboisten streitig.

[@johncrane4021]

My most vivid memory of Heinz Holliger is from some years ago, when he performed a concerto with the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble. The orchestra is nominally conductorless, but Holliger decided to step unofficially into that role. He evidently thought that they were playing too slowly (they weren't), and he kept trying to yank them along, swinging back and forth impatiently. It was some of the ugliest, most enervating music-making I ever heard. Fantastic technique, yes -- he could probably play with the oboe held upside down while flutter-tonguing in three languages -- but that doesn't necessarily translate into great music.

[@C_Madrid]

I always heard this trill in 0:46 in minor

[@yuusora2415]

Yes, I think both are equally used. It depends on personal preference.

[@sr14225]

I've always played it in minor. I just feel it fits better and actually thought it was supposed to be minor.

[@LaPavadita]

Each time it's oboist! One of the reasons Oboe players like Meyer exist is that 40 years before them Heinz Holliger did his thing. You may not like him but he did more for the instrument then anyone else. Circular breathing on oboe, the quality of his recordings, his technique, playing peaces noone would play before him especially modern compositions. Even his work improving the oboe. The list is endless. So stop comparing apples to oranges.

[@DeathbyKitty8]

LaPavadita Let's not forget the influence of Leon Goosens:)

[@musicianckack]

Exelent!

[@susiekeing3011]

Heinz Holliger is an amazing musician. Music isn't just about pleasant sound. I like Albrecht Mayer very much, but please, don't insult other musicians.

[@manthasagittarius1]

I read the tussle from about seven years ago in these comments with some dismay. Guys, there are just not enough of us double reed players to carp and fight like this. If cheetahs did this, they would wipe out their gene pool in about ninety seconds. Just a bassoonist, so I probably don't get the fine points, but please . . .

[@elculonjosue]

ESPECTACULAR BY JOHANA OBOISTA

[@brynjarhoff-lr6hw]

This is a very personal way of playing v.williams. Very different tempi,slow and much rubato… well…

[@lennic95]

I agree that Holliger's sound isn't the nicest at all, but you have to compare him to what came before him. He completely changed the game! and he still is one of the best oboist (if not the best) in the world. Actually Albrecht is my idol.

[@snufkin789]

Mayer setzt die Meßlatte hoch. Aber das hat etwas ausgesprochen Gutes. Während viele Oboisten technisch versiert sind, zeigt Mayer, wie viel mehr aus einem Instrument wie der Oboe zu gewinnen ist. Ich behaupte, dass auf keinem anderen Instrument die Entwicklung der eigenen Ton-Beschaffenheit so zentral und so eine Herausforderung ist wie bei der Oboe / dem Cor Anglais. Eine Klarinette zum Beispiel ist ein wunderbares Instrument, aber seine Fähigkeiten liegen eher im Tonumfang und der Dynamik,

[@MrSeandu]

👍😍😍😍👏

[@cookie2000ify]

What you are saying is completely irrelevant. It does not matter what Holliger did to promote the instrument. Of course he increased the awareness and popularity of the oboe. My comment is strictly on the capability of the two musicians and, in my opinion, Albrecht Mayer is the far superior oboist, and here I am comparing apples to apples.

[@andreaaguilar1998]

💘💘💘

[@MrSeandu]

Good

[@jean-yvesdelafosse7510]

Listen to Goosens or Rothwell and ear the difference...

[@cookie2000ify]

@ALBIBISBIS In my opinion Heinz Holliger sounds like he is playing a kazoo. How do you like them apples.

[@thombotomb]

Celia Nicklin.

[@jarekwyrzykowski1762]

It's true Holliger and Bourge did pioneers job, we owe them a lot. Unfortunately this kind of sound suited very well to some avantgarde contemporary music, composed by mathematicians like Lutoslawski, but it was terrible when applied to some real, wisely composed and naturally nice melody. Oboe used to be very, very popular in it's early form. Holliger might have been very successful with bringing it back to audience, but as much as his extraordinary technique and dexterity was admired at the same time he made a lot of people dislike oboe for its harsh, sometimes hilarious and sometimes annoying sound. Personally I could never endure more then few seconds of their Albinoni or Zelenka recordings. I was never even tempted to buy any of Holliger's CDs, only because of the sound aesthetics. And yet they made it to the top somehow, and stood there in glory for so long. I guess their myth is doing a lot of damage to new generations of oboe players, who are bound to be forever compared to those masters of ugly sound, if not to mime them.